


Lie Detector

by mythicallyrhink



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: M/M, rhink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-14
Packaged: 2019-08-17 15:55:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16519520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mythicallyrhink/pseuds/mythicallyrhink
Summary: Rhett and Link, longtime best friends since the first grade. They have built such amazing lives together. Beautiful families, beautiful wives, a huge internet show with millions of fans, without ever losing each other in the process. But they are haunted by the 'what ifs' in their lives. What if they had done things differently? These questions begin to pop up from each other as they venture through the internetainment world.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is, finally on ao3, my fanfiction "Lie Detector"!! I am so beyond excited to start publishing my work in this fandom. It is such a privelage to have this opportunity and I can't wait to see where this story takes us all!  
> I want to take a second to thank everyone who has helped me get to the point of publishing my writing. Thank you to my beta readers @fanbabble and @linkslipssinkships on tumblr! Without y'all, this wouldn't have been possible. I also want to thank @linkslipssinkships and @link-down-below on tumblr for inspiring me to share my work with this wonderful fandom. I am beyond thankful for you all. And of course, thank you to all my mythical friends on tumblr! Y'all are family and I love you so much.  
> So without further ado,  
> here is Lie Detector!

The night grew long as the sky begins to fade into a dark blur. It is a quiet Sunday night with rain falling outside with a low rumble of thunder. Rhett is sitting at his desk, slouching over his laptop with one hand holding the weight of his head and one on the track pad. His eyes seem like they are made of glass surrounded by red, puffy skin and he has a small sniffle in his nose. Rhett is invested in a rabbit hole he has dug himself into of RandL edits, posts, videos. You name it, he saw it.

What no one knew was Rhett had an unknown tumblr account, just like the rest of the mythical beasts who thought him and Link are perfect for each other. No one knew about this secret love he had for not only these posts online, but Link himself.

Rhett grew up questioning his attractions constantly. He became lifelong friends with Link in the first grade and they had been together ever since then. Through elementary, to middle school, high school, and even living together in college, they were never apart. Rhett had always known something was different when it came to Link, but could never figure it out in their early years. Now, they have their show with all their mythical beasts who have now brought to light the love he has for Link. The love that had been there since the day they met. With this account he had made, he was able to partake in a world where him and Link were together. He was able to escape the world he knew and participate within a place where Link was always with him.

As he is scrolling through tumblr, he reblogs posts, watches video edits, and reads fanfiction written by other mythical beasts out there. In this moment, Rhett was reading his favorite fanfiction Burning. He is so enveloped within the story, he didn't hear the door swing open swiftly in the other room. Link walks in with a confused look on his face, questioning why their office light is still on.

"Rhett..?" he whispers peeking into the doorway of their office. Rhett jumps up out of a daze, shutting his laptop closed quickly. "Oh..uh, hey Link. What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing" said Link. "I forgot my phone here. What are you doing here? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just..uh was, um" Rhett stutters, frantic to find an excuse to give Link. "I was just working on some stuff." That is the best reason he could dig up, really?

"Okay, do you want me to stay with you?" Link asks with a concerned look on his face. He knows when his best friend is upset and needs him.

"Oh um, you don't have to. I was actually gonna leave soon." Rhett states. Link walks over towards Rhett and holds out his hand. "Come on, let's go get a bite to eat." he smiles down at Rhett, still sitting in his office chair. Rhett looks up at Link and smiles a half smile, grabbing his hand. He stands up and they both turn around and Link drops Rhett's hand. Rhett's heart drops a bit when he loses contact with Link. Every time he and Link connect, he never wants to lose that connection.

Link reaches for the door handle and opens the door for Rhett. "In and Out?" Link asks with a smile.

"You know the answer to that question" Rhett says grinning.


	2. Chapter 2

After about ten minutes of listening to Lionel Richie and small talk, they pull into an almost vacant In-and-Out parking lot. Link stops the car and looks over at Rhett and just smiles.

Rhett looks back with a slight smile, but also a laugh "What?"

"Nothing," Link blinks out of his small trance "you ready?"

"Well, of course" Rhett answers, jumping out of the car.

The guys walk in and are welcomed by the lady at the register. "What can I get for you guys tonight?"

Rhett begins to order without even consulting Link. "Yeah, I'll have the number one with fries and a drink and he will have the number two without tomatoes and extra sauce, with fries and a drink as well." Link looks at Rhett with the biggest smile. Of course he knows Link's order, they have eaten at In-and-Out since they moved to California together. But it still makes Link's heart skip a beat or two.

"Alright, it's gonna be $13.52".  Both guys reach for their wallet and make eye contact in the process. Both let out a laugh and Link jumps into say while handing the cashier his card. "Hey, I got this. On me". Rhett can’t help but smile a goofy smile. He can feel his face turning red so he quickly turns away to get his drink.

The boys sit together enjoying their meal, laughing and talking the entire time. Rhett of course finishes his food first, even though he spent most of the time gazing into Link's deep blue eyes. Nerves still continue to sweep over him thinking about Link walking in on him at the office. At one point when Link isn’t paying attention, Rhett reaches for one of Link's fries. "Hey! You already finished yours bud!" he says poking at Rhett.

They both fall back into their seats in a fit of laughter. Between breaths and giggles, Link manages to say, "I know I don't need to say it, but you know I am always here for you Rhett. Always." Link's laughter dulls and a serious tone sweeps across his face and voice. He looks Rhett right in the eyes and reaches out his hand to touch his. Rhett could see the nervousness in Link's eyes but also hear the sincerity in his voice. Why was Link reaching for his hand? Was he going to try to hold it? Or just give a friendly pat? The stress consumes Rhett for the few seconds before Link makes contact. Link doesn’t hold his hand, but it wasn't a pat either. There is a longing behind the touch and a look in both their eyes.

"I know you are Link. I know you are."

  
  



	3. Chapter 3

Link takes Rhett back to his car at the office. The ride there is quiet, music playing softly in the background. The car comes to a slow stop, pulling into the vacant parking lot. Link shuts the car off. They sit in silence for  a long second before Rhett breaks the silence between them.

“Thanks for tonight, Link.” he says in a hushed voice, almost like he didn’t want to say it all.

“Hey man,” Link says quickly, placing a hand on Rhett’s shoulder. “Any time. Are you sure you’re okay? It seems like there’s something on your mind.”

Of course there is something on his mind. That something is  Link, it’s always Link. Rhett can’t stand the fact that he lives in a world where he can’t be with him as more than friends and business partners. Where he can’t hold his hand for the reasons _he_ wants, where he can’t kiss those perfect lips on a daily basis. Where he can’t wake up next to his love every morning. It eats him up inside.

Rhett pauses for a second, suddenly questioning the what ifs of their situation. What if he told Link? What if he feels the same way, but is just too terrified to say anything about it? What if this _is_ a possibility? For just a second, Rhett let himself believe that maybe, just maybe, this could happen. He begins to open his mouth, as if he was about to say everything he has ever wanted to say to his best friend.

But he didn’t. He chickened out.

“I’m all good man. Thanks again.” Rhett stutters, reaching for the car door handle. Link grips Rhett’s thigh, catching him before he even gets the door unlocked. Rhett is startled by the sudden touch, heat radiating where Link’s palm sits on his leg. Link looks as if he is about to say something, something important, but they don’t come out. He anxiously tells Rhett, “Okay, I - I’ll see you tomorrow.”

And with that, Rhett gets out and drives his own car home.

A  wave of sadness sweeps across Link’s body. His hand feels cold now that Rhett’s thigh isn’t under it and his heart feels empty without him by his side. It’s always like that whenever they aren’t together. Link feels like half of a whole when Rhett is gone. Link loves Rhett, and he wants nothing more than to tell him everything.

He waits for Rhett to leave the parking lot before he pulls out his phone. Link opens up tumblr and scrolls through his own feed of ‘rhink’ edits. He has a secret account on tumblr that fans don’t know about and more importantly, neither does Rhett.

Link’s eyelids get heavy as he continues to scroll, so he decides to make his way home. He starts up his car, still with the deep sinking feeling in his chest, and puts the car in reverse to leave the parking lot and head home. As he makes his way through the empty Burbank streets, Link thinks about the “what ifs” of their situation: What if he told Rhett? What if he feels the same way, but is just too terrified to say anything about it? What if this is actually a possibility? What if they had done things differently when they were younger? These thoughts never leave Link’s head, as if on a loop.

Rhett pulls in his driveway, still reeling from what happened in Link’s car. He’s still able to feel Link’s hand on his thigh, as if it never left. He misses the warm touch on his left leg. Making his way into his house,  Rhett quietly walked into his bedroom.

Both slip into their bedrooms in their separate houses, but are both unable to fall asleep.

Both boys lie awake, consumed by the thought of the other.


End file.
